Eye examination device

ABSTRACT

Disclosed herein is a simple, eyelid-supportable device useful for painlessly examining the upper conjunctival sac of the eye.

O Umted States Patent 1191 1111 3,752,152 Kern Aug. 14, 1973 [54] EYEEXAMINATION DEVICE 3,070,087 12/1962 Sitt el l28/2 T e or Sey ur P. K rnle ille NJ. 3,658,058 4/1972 Neldhart 128/ 145.5 [73] Assignee: AppliedLlle Design Corporation, FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS mfi 1,506,35211/1967 Frmce 128/2 "r [22] Filed: Feb. 16, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 226,818Primary Examiner-Aldrich F. Medbery Attorney-Bruce M. Eisen [52] US. Cl.128/21, 128/2 T, 351/7 [51] Int. Cl A6lb U011 58 Field of Search 128/21,22, 10, 2 T, [57] ABSTRACT ZS/145's; Disclosed herein is a simple,eyelid-supportable device 1 useful for ainlessl examinin the u ercon'unctival [56] References Cited sac of the 2 y g J UNITED STATESPATENTS 2,255,689 9/1941 Taylor et al. 351/7 5 Claims, 3 Drawing FiguresEYE EXAMINATION DEVICE This invention relates to a device useful in theart of eye examination. More specifically, it relates to a simple,portable, inexpensive instrument which permits viewing of the upperconjunctiva! sac without appreciable discomfort to the patient andallows the examiner use of both hands.

Despite increasingly sophisticated electronic devices for objectiveexamination of the eye, there exists no satisfactory means forexamination of the upper eyelid fornix and surrounding areas. Inspectionof these areas is particularly important in cases of foreign bodies,infection and allergy. Present techniques designed to view these areasinvolve eversion of the upper eyelid and hence have serious drawbacks.Single eversion of the upper lid requires pressure above the uppereyelid and counter traction on the eye lashes. This procedure is usuallyuncomfortable to an adult and terrifying to a child. Moreover, suchfolding of the lid distorts the tissue and may prevent viewing of thetrue situation. Furthermore, the surface area viewable by such foldingis generally limited to a narrow band of tissue. Most of the fornixanatomy remains hidden under the lid fold. While double eversion of thelid permits viewing of the entire fornix, this technique is highlyuncomfortable even under topical anesthesia. The problems in subjectinga child to double eversion are readily apparent. In addition, sucheversion methods often increase intraocular pressure in the globe which,in some cases, could result in eye damage, for example in an eye with anoccult perforation.

l have now invented a simple, portable, inexpensive device whichreadilypermits viewing of the entire fornix area without appreciable pain ordiscomfort to the patient.

This self-supportable device broadly comprises a frame having a backside adopted to closely face and surround the eye, and having a firstspring means on the front side affixed to said frame at its upperportion and a second spring means affixed to said frame at its lowerportion; said first spring means having affixed thereto meansprotrudable from the front side of the frame into the eye and adapted totemporarily secure itself to areolar skin of the upper eye lid and pullit toward said front side; said second spring means having affixedthereto a mirror mountable at an angle sufficient to permit viewing ofthe fornix region from the front side of said frame.

It has been found that the device of this invention permits full,non-distorted viewing of the conjunctival region of the eye, i.e., themarginal, tarsal, orbital, fornix, bulbar and limbal areas. This devicesurprisingly does not interfere with viewing of the desired areas. Evenmore surprising is the fact that this device causes no significant painor discomfort in use and thus is particularly suitable for examiningchildren. Moreover, it does not significantly increase intraocularpressure. Since it is compact, lightweight, inexpensive and does notrequire an electrical energy source, it is eminently suited for eyeexamination at locations remote from standard medical facilities. It caneasily be carried in a physicans bag. Since the device isself-supportable, it permits the physician use of both hands. It can berapidly attached, requiring only seconds between taking the device fromits storage area and rendering it serviceable.

The device of this invention can be used in connection with any lightsource, i.e., natural light, a flashlight,

a slit lamp or fiber optics. It will find particular use in conjunctionwith the standard slit lamp found in virtually all opthamologists'offices.

The subject device and its usage may be more fully understood byreference to the appended Figures;

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a side schematic cross-sectional view of the device of FIG. 1being utilized in the examination of the fomix area of the eye of apatient.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an exemplary alternative embodiment.

The frame can be of any geometry, e.g., circular, elliptical, oval,square, and rectangular, so long at it surrounds the eye. Preferably itis seated over the bony orbital rim. FIG. 1 illustrates a circular frameand FIG. 3 illustrates a rectangular frame. The frame need notcompletely enclose the eye for example, a small arc of a circular framecould be omitted. The frame may even have structural extensions on whichone or both spring means may be attached as exemplified by theembodiment depicted in FIG. 3. The frame can be fabricated from plastic,metal or similarly suitable material.

In the preferred embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, a circular frameI is employed having a diameter of about 2% inches. The side edge 2 ofthe rim can conveniently have a thickness of about one-eighth inch. Thefront side rim 15 can also be about one-eighth inch. The spring means 3attached to the upper part of frame 1 is suitably a resilient metallicstrip such as tempered berylium copper or stainless spring steel and canbe about one-fourth to one-half inch. It can be conveniently affixed tothe rim merely by being folded or crimped around the rim as at 8 andheld in place by friction. Attached to the opposite end of spring 3 is aclip 4 which is also conveniently fabricated from a resilient metalstrip. The clip 4 can be joined to spring 3 by adhesive, molding, oreven by crimping the end of one into a folded section of the other. Theclip has means, such as ends 10 and 11 connected by a resilient strip,to temporarily create a large gap between opposite strip ends 12 and 13whereby supple tissue can readily fit and become trapped and securedwhen the finger pressure on ends 10 and 11 is released thereby causinggap 5 to decrease and secure areolar skin therein. Smooth plasticsurfaces or felt pads 12 and 13 are adhesively attached to the insideedges of the clip ends to provide cushioning means in gap 5.

Spring means 6 is also conveniently a resilient metallic strip which canbe affixed to the lower portion of frame 1 as at 9 in the same ordifferent means as spring 3. The back edge 14 of mirror element 7 can beconveniently adhesively mounted on a folded section of spring strip 6.The mirror front surface is preferably aluminum coated. The back edge 14of the mirror is also provided with an adhesively attached smoothplastic surface or felt pad to provide cushioning.

The device can be afiixed in the position depicted in FIG. 2 as follows:

The patient is instructed to gently close his eyes. The frame 1 isplaced over the eye to be examined with the cushioned back edge 14 ofthe mirror 7 just below the lower eyelid 18. The clip ends 10 and II aregrasped and squeezed between the index finger and thumb enlarging gap 5.The clip is moved so that the supple areolar skin 16 just above the lidmargin is trapped in gap 5 by releasing the finger pressure. The frameis now self-supporting. The spring 3 will pull clip 4 and its captiveareolar tissue away from the eye globe toward the front side of theframe allowing indirect visualization of the upper fornix 17. Theexaminer will focus a light beam on the mirror surface 7 which will thusilluminate the upper fornix area. This light beam can come from anysuitable source 19 such as a flashlight or slit lamp. The examiner thenviews the desired area from position 23 either with his naked eye oraided by standard optics. In a preferred examination procedure, thepatient is instructed to look down at his toes, then down to the rightand then to the left thereby enabling the entire upper fornix, includingthe conjunctive of the lid and globe, to be visualized.

Another embodiment of the device of this invention is depicted in FIG. 3wherein the rectangular frame 22 includes as a structural extension ahandlebar 20 to which is affixed spring means 21 which is a coil spring.A clip of the type described above is affixed at the other end of thecoil spring. The mirror and its support means can also be of the typedescribed above.

The spring means 3 and 6 can either be permanently affixed to the samepoint on the frame (e.g., a tight friction fit) or can be slidablyaffixed (e.g., a loose friction fit). In certain situations it may bedesirable to concentrate on only one side of the fornix, and in suchinstances a slidable clip and mirror means would be advantageous. Inview of the obvious disparities in size and strength of the eyelidbetween a large adult and a small child, the examiner could have two ormore such devices differing in comparative size and spring strength.Alternately, one or both spring means could be made detachable inobvious ways from the frame and replaceable with corresponding elementsmore suitably scaled to the patient under examination. Suchdetachability could be readily effected in several ways, e.g., byapplying pressure on spring means attached by a friction fit or byhaving a gap in the frame large enough to allow slidable spring means topass through.

In place of a clip, other means can be used to secure the spring meansto the areolar tissue, as for example, a pad impregnated with adermatologically acceptable pressure sensitive conventional adhesive.Such adhesive pad shave great holding power yet can be readily removedby peeling. v

In still further variants, the frame could readily be adapted to carrymagnification means. The mirror element can be concave or convex and themagnification means can comprise a concave or convex lens. Devices ofthis invention can also be readily adapted by known circuitry to carrytheir own lightweight light sources, e.g., a battery-powered fiber opticsystem either as part of or separate from the frame.

Numerous other variants of the subject device within the scope of thisinvention will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

l. A self-supportable device for painless examination of the fornixregion of the eye comprising a frame having a back side adapted toclosely face and surround said eye, and having a first spring supportmeans on the front side affixed to said frame at its upper portion and asecond spring support means affixed to said frame at its lower portion;said first spring means having affixed thereto holding means protrudablefrom the front side of the frame into the eye and adapted to temporarilysecure itself to areolar skin of the upper eyelid and pull it towardsaid front side; said second spring means having affixed thereto amirror mountable at an angle relative to the eye sufficient to permitviewing of the fornix from the front side of said frame.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said springmeans is slidably affixed to said frame.

3. A device according to claim I wherein at least one of said springmeans is a resilient metallic strip.

4. A device according to claim 1 wherein said frame is circular.

5. A device according to claim 1 wherein said holding means totemporarily secure areolar tissue comprises clips.

1. A self-supportable device for painless examination of the fornixregion of the eye comprising a frame having a back side adapted toclosely face and surround said eye, and having a first spring supportmeans on the front side affixed to said frame at its upper portion and asecond spring support means affixed to said frame at its lower portion;said first spring means having affixed thereto holding means protrudablefrom the front side of the frame into the eye and adapted to temporarilysecure itself to areolar skin of the upper eyelid and pull it towardsaid front side; said second spring means having affixed thereto amirror mountable at an angle relative to the eye sufficient to permitviewing of the fornix from the front side of said frame.
 2. A deviceaccording to claim 1 wherein at least one of said spring means isslidably affixed to said frame.
 3. A device according to claim 1 whereinat least one of said spring means is a resilient metallic strip.
 4. Adevice according to claim 1 wherein said frame is circular.
 5. A deviceaccording to claim 1 wherein said holding means to temporarily secureareolar tissue comprises clips.